In The Night Playground
In the Night Playground... is a live-action preschool BBC children's television series, aimed at children aged from one to eight years old.2 It is produced by Ragdoll Productions. It was produced by Anne Wood, the team that also created Teletubbies. The programme is narrated by Derek Jacobi. It is filmed mostly in live action, and features a mix of actors in costume, puppetry and computer animation. The characters include Swablu, Spearow, Kirby, the Johto Starters, the Unowns / the Poliwags, the Nicky Nonk and the Picky Ponk The series was announced in 2006, and twenty episodes were first broadcast in 20 March 2007. Two series were made, with 100 episodes in all. Overview The programme features a large cast of colourful characters with names who live in a magical forest scattered with large tulips and brightly coloured flowers. The characters mostly speak short, phrases and each has their own special song and dance. The playground is a sunny, colourful night and the music is jaunty and music box-like. Producer Anne Wood said Each episode starts with a different baby in bed, while the narrator introduces the episode. The scene cuts to Swablu in his nest, flying to the Night Playground. Then the camera pans up to the sky and zooms in, followed by tulips. After the title appears under a bush, either the Nicky Nonk or the Picky Ponk appears. The episodes end with one character receiving a bedtime story, which is generated by the magical Carousel that sits at the centre of the Night Playground. This story is a summary of the plot of the episode. Sometimes the characters all dance together under the Carousel Swablu does not go to sleep, and his goodbye sequence ("Swablu's not in bed!" ... "Tweet!" ... "Don't worry, Swablu! It's time to go") rounds off the programme. The Night Playground turns into the night sky and Swablu is seen asleep in his nest as the end credits roll Places The Swings is a toy where only Swablu goes, for a swing in the Night Playground. It leads to the Carousel at the beginning and end of an episode.11 It was first featured in the episode "Kirby Cleans Faces The Tulip Patch is where Spearow lives. It is a field full of tulips. Spearow is usually the only character that can be seen in the patch.12 It was first featured in the episode "The Unowns in Spearow's Nest Kirby's Hammock is where he lives The hammock, along with the Swings was first featured in the episode "Kirby Cleans Faces The Johto Bush is where the Johto Starters live. It is the largest house in the playground with so many activities to do such as playing music, playing with blocks and brushing teeth (like the Picky Ponk and the Nicky Nonk it is bigger on the inside). It was first featured on the outside in "The the Johto Starters' Flaming Game" and on the inside in the episode "Too Loud Johto Starters!! Peace and Quiet! The Unowns/Poliwags' House is a small house at the foot of a tree where the Unowns and Poliwags live. It, along with the Swings and Kirby's Hammock was first featured in the episode "Kirby Cleans Faces The Tune Bridge is a musical bridge near Kirby's Hammock. Whenever someone walks on the bridge, it plays a musical tune. It, and the Swings, Kirby's Hammock and the Unowns/Poliwags' House, were first featured in the episode "Kirby Cleans Faces